Peace Be Still!

In light of the focuses for the last two days relating to being prepared for the storms of life, today I would like to share with you an illustration sent to me in response to the first of those two focuses. I do not know who the original author of the piece is, but the point it presents is very much worth considering.

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WHEN THE WIND BLOWS

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. “Are you a good farmhand?” the farmer asked him.

“Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man’s work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!”

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.”
Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away.

The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

MORAL: When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.

We, as believers in Christ, secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the midst of the storms.

I pray you can sleep when the wind blows.
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When the storm arose while the disciples were in the boat, Jesus was sleeping. ( Mark 4:38) In their fear, the disciples awoke the Lord and shared their alarm. When Jesus CALMED the storm, saying “Peace! Be still!” ( Mark 4:39), perhaps more than anything He desired to CALM THEIR FEARS.

I love the recurring phrase in the song “Sometimes He Calms The Storm” (recorded by Scott Krippayne, written by Tony Wood & Kevin Stokes, 1995 BMG Songs Inc.) which states, “Sometimes He calms the storm, and other times He calms His child.”

Let us remember the mindfulness of our God. In Psalms we find the following encouragement.
“(1) I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
(2) My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (3) He will not let your foot be moved; HE WHO KEEPS YOU WILL NOT SLUMBER. (4) Behold, HE who keeps Israel WILL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP.” ( Psalm 121:1-4 ESV)

When I trust God to care for my life, I should begin to learn there is no sense both of us staying awake. May we each grow in our faith to receive the CALMING REST He desires to bring into our lives.

Have a great day AT PEACE IN THE LORD!
Carl

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